Switch for automatic cable-chain-grip systems.



G. S. FOUTS, DEGD.

H. J. ron'rs, ADMINISTRATEIX. SWITGH FOR AUTOMATIG CABLE CHAIN GRIPSYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED n30. 13,1907.

Patented June 22, 1909 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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APPLICATION FILED DEU- 13,1907, 926,058.

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WITNESSES:

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GEORGE S. FOUTS, OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA; lllLDA .l. FOUTSADhlINlSTRATRlX OF SAID GEORGE S. FOUTS, DECEASED.

SWITCH FOR AUTOMATIC CABLE-CHAIN-GRIP SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1907.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Serial No. 406,328.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon S. F owe, a citizen of the United States,residing at. Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches forAutomatic Cable-Chain-Grip Systems, of which the following is aspecification.

Letters Patent were granted to me August 1 1, 1906 and numbered 828,615,in which was described a system of traction wherein a wheeled truck orlocomotive provided with power means and with an endless chain grippingdevice driven thereby, is caused to travel by means of a stationarycable which is gripped by the said device, so that the locomotive truckpulls itself along the cable together with any load which it may carryor to which it may be connected. The said patent also described devicesfor causing the chain grip to take the cable and release it, andindicated, although it did not describe in detail that such wheeledtrucks or locomotives might pass each other, and that for such and otherpurposes, switches, turnouts and branches might be associated with thecable which forms the main traction line. Since the inventive idea inthe system described in the said patent involves the association of thewheeled truck or locomotive with its gripping devices and the cablealong which it is pulled by the operation of such devices, it is evidentthat. so far as the running of the locomotive is concerned the characterof the way upon which it actually travels is immaterial. The nature ofsuch a way depends upon the conditions under which the system isinstalled. If it be found feasible in view of the topography and ofcommercial and economical conditions, to lay tracks of any kind and toprovide track switches at. proper points thereon, the cable tractiondevices will operate in connection with such track. Under conditionswhere it is not feasible or economical or desirable to lay rail 'aytracks, the locomotive will be operated in connection with the cablewithout such tracks, running directly upon the ground.

The association of cable switching devices with track switches involvesa con struction diiferent from that employed where cables are usedwithout tracks; and I have, in the present application described andshown an arrangement of cable switches in connection with trackswitches. In another application for patent filed December 13, 1907Serial Number 406,327, I have described the construction and arrangementof cable switches, where the system is operated without. tracks.

In the drawings forming part of this application: Figure 1 is a planview of a railway track at a switching point, and shows the arrangementof cables at such a point and the means for operating the switch, theswitch being for main line. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the switch setfor a siding or branch line. Pig. 3 is a cross section of the main andswitch rails in about the line of the main switch-stand, said railsbeing in the same position as in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a similar section inthe position of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a track composed oflogs, with cables and switching devices.

In all the drawings, I have shown at 1 and 3 the main rails of a line ofrailway track, at 2 and 1 switch rails, at 5, 6, 7 and 8 guard rails,and at 9 an ordinary switch point comprising a main and a switch rail.The switch rail 1 and main rail 3 are movable and are connectedtogether. The main cable is shown at 12 extending about midway betweenthe main rails. This is the able along which the motor or locomotivetruck travels between terminal points. At any suitable place in the maintrack, before arriving at the switch, is anchored the switch -able 13,the point of anchorage being in proximity to the main cable so that thechain-grip can easily drop one and seize the other. The switch cablediverges from the main cable in the general line of direction of theswitch and is guided in such general line of direction by guides 11. Inits normal position and when not in use and so as to leave the main lineunobstructed it passes beneath the main rail 3, which is then set forthe main line, and continues out along the switch, as shown in Fig. 1.If divergent rails shown in Fig. 1 simply constitute a switch, siding orturn-out they will reenter the main line along with the switch cable inthe same manner in which they left it. If the divergent rails are thebeginning of a branch line such rails and the divergent cable extend tothe terminal of said branch, being provided intermcdiately with suchappropriate switches constructed according to my invention as theirnecessities may require.

. suitable construction.

The main switch stand may be of any As shown, it comprises the quadrant10, the switch lever 15 connected to the longitudinal shaft 16, and thearm or link 17 hinged to the operating lever. The other end of this armis hinged to the switch bar 18, which extends trans versely beneath allthe rails of the switch. Upon the top of the bar and at its ends, arelugs 19 and 21, upon which the rails 3 and 1 rest supported in suitablechairs formed with or secured to the said lugs. Both lugs are offset orrecessed at their inner ends so that such ends are elevated facing eachother above the switch bar as shown in Fig. 2. The switch cable innormal position, that is when out of operation, passes beneath one ofthese offset ends 19, in about the middle line of the switch, the mainline being free. The longitudinal shaft 16 extends along the track toanother switch stand in which is a connecting rod 22 connected to aswitch bar 23 which is in turn connected to the movable main rails atthe lower part of Fig. 1, which can be set to main line, (as shown inFig. 1,) or to the switch when the lever is thrown, as shown in Fig. 2.This switch stand may have an operating lever of its own, but ordinarilythe operation at the main switchstand is to throw the rail 4 intoalinement with the guard rail 6, and the movable rails 1 into alinementwith rails 2 and 1. At the same time the switch bar 18 is thrown overcarrying with it the lugs 19 and 21. The lug 19 which has been holdingthe cable, releases it, and the rail 3, below which the cable has beenpassing in order to leave the main line clear, also releases it, andleaves it free so that it can remain in engagement with the grippingdevices in the new direction. The same movement that accomplishes Ithese results causes the lug 21 to pass over and cover the main cablewhich latter is temporarily out of operation. The switch cable now heldand grasped by the gripping devices on the motor or locomotive, is freeso that the locomotive can follow the switch, changing its directionaccording to that of the switch, siding or turn-out. After the motor andits load have fully passed upon the switch the switch-bar 18 can bemoved in the other direction so as to throw the switch to the maintrack, to again engage the switch cable beneath the lug 19, and to freethe main cable from the lug 21. I have indicated at 25 a covering plateon a cross tie, having recesses which enables both cables to bedepressed in the manner clescribed. V

In the drawings to which so far allusion has been made, I have describedmy inven tion in connection with railway tracks of usual construction,and what I consider the best manner of employing it in connection withsuch tracks ,but in Fig. 5 I have shown its adaptation to those roughlines oftrack employed in lumbering regions and which are composed oflogs, arranged as tracks upon which cars can run and which, according tomy invention, can be provided with stationary main and switch cablesoperating in accordance with the present invention. In describing theselogs as rails I consider them as equivalents of the ordinary railsheretofore described, since they form ways upon which the wheels of thelocomotive and its attached load travel in the same manner.

The drawing very clearly illustrates the arrangement of main rails andswitch rails and also shows the main stationary cable and the switchcable arranged in their proper relation thereto. The movable portion ofthe track, which in the preceding description was represented by theconnected rails 3 and at is here represented by the single movable rail20, pivoted at about the intersection of the main track and switchtrack. This rail is preferably provided with a switch bar and switchlever as shown, so that it can be thrown in either direction. As thedrawing shows the switch is set for the main track, and the rail 20covers the switch cable and leaves the main cable free. When the rail 20is moved to the dotted position shown in the drawing it will be in linewith the switch track, will leave the switch cable free, and will coverthe main cable. The dotted position of the switch cable in this figureis intended to illustrate the position of such cable when engaged by thegripping devices as the locomotive follows the switch.

It will be observed that by the construction described stationary cableswitches can be easily operated in connection with track switches. Inordinary use on the main line, the main line cable is free for thepassage of the locomotive with its gripping means engaging that cablealong such main line; while in that position the switch cable liesbeneath one of the main line rails and is entirely out of the way. Inchanging to the switching position,'not only is the switchcable releasedand freed, but the main line cable is crossed by the switch rail 4, andremains beneath it until it is automatically freed by the replacementand resetting of the rails for the main line. Neither cable everinterferes with the other; and the simplicity of the means by which thisis accomplished is one of the noteworthy fea tures of the presentinvention.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction and arrangementherein described and shown in the drawing, as I desire to avail myselfof such modifications and equivalents as fall properly within the spiritof my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a system of cable traction of the character described, thecombination with main rails, switch rails and switch means, of astationary main cable between the main line rails, and a stationaryswitch cable between the switch rails.

2. In a cable traction system, main rails and branch rails, a portion ofthe track movable so as to make connection with either the main rails orthe branch rails, a stationary main cable in the general line of themain rails, and a stationary branch cable in the general line of thebranch rails; the movable portion of the track being adapted in eitherposition, to cover one of said cables and leave the other free.

3. In a system of cable traction of the character described, a railwayswitch, movable members of the same comprising a main rail and a switchrail connected together so as to be moved in order to close either themain line or the switch, a stationary main traction cable, and adiverging stationary switch cable; the main cable, when the switch isopen, being free and unobstructed and the switch cable passing beneathsaid movable main line, while, when the switch is closed, the switchcable is free and unobstructed and the main cable passes beneath saidmovable switch rail.

4. In a system of cable traction of the character described, a railwayswitch, a movable member of the same comprising a main rail and a switchrail, a switch bar forming such connection between said rails,oppositely facing open lugs on said switch bar upon which the ends ofsaid rails rest, a stationary main traction cable, and a divergingstationary switch cable; the main cable, when the switch is open, beingfree and unobstructed, and the switch cable passing be- I neath one ofsaid lugs, while, when the switch is closed, the switch cable is freeand unobstructed and the main cable passes beneath the other lug.

In a system of cable traction of the described character, a stationarymain cable and a stationary switch cable; a railway line and a railwayswitch associated with said cables; and a switch bar for operating theswitch; said switch bar having means for alternately covering anduncovering the respective cables according to the position of theswitch.

6. In a system of cable traction of the described character, thecombination with main and switch tracks, of stationary main and switchcables lying between the rails of the respective tracks, means foroperating the railway switch, and means for supporting and directing thecables, whereby in either position of the railway switch one of saidcables shall be left free and unobstructed relatively to the track withwhich it is associated.

7. In a system of cable traction of the described character, connectedand jointly movable main rails, (1, 1,) connected and jointly movablemain and switch rails, (3, et,), the fixed rails of the main line, fixedswitch rails, (2), guard or bridge rails, a switch bar connecting themain and switch rails, (3 and 4), a switch bar connecting the movablemain rails, (1, 1,), a shaft connecting the two switch bars, astationary main cable, a diverging stationary switch cable, and meansfor supporting and directing said cables whereby in either position ofthe switch one of said cables shall be left free and unobstructedrelatively to the track with which it is associated.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses on this 26th day of November, 1907.

GEORGE S. FOUTS.

IVitnesses: j

ALBERT C. AIKEN, I-IUGI-I T. SIME.

